Insightful Strikers (3.5e Optimized Character Build)
Introduction The material, started by and based on the houserules/rule fixes of Frank Trollman (yes, that's his real name) and his friend Keith catch a lot of flack for being noticeably stronger than the normal SRD material, most particularly for fighters and other con-combat classes. If one uses a scaling Tome feat for a character, that feat will give a character more benefits and abilities as the character gains levels. Consider this feat: Point Blank Shot. It gives bonuses to being within relatively close range to enemies. However, while the Tome feats are a bigger jump in power, using them exclusively makes it harder to hyperfocus on one combat maneuver or area, to the point that you automatically win at that area, or to the point of creating an infinite loop. This is an experiment in seeing how far one can take Tome Material with melee classes, using the feat Insightful Strike Unlike a conventional Optimized Build, these two character will have just a final stat block, as this is just a concept build designed to come into its own at Character level 16 (or, specifically, +16 BAB). References Races of War for feats. SRD:Paladin or SRD:Cleric combined with the Celesial Beacon The Dungeonomicon Monk Spells, Powers, Soulmelds, Stances, etc... SRD:Divine Power SRD:Wish (or whatever can give +5 to a stat) Items One +6 Wisdom-increasing item. One perfectly normal martial weapon (a sword or an axe, preferably) Possibly one +5 Tome of Understanding. Progression Starting Ability Scores (Before Racial Adjustments): Some array with an 18 as its highest stat. For the sake of example, I'm going to use what a friend calls the Champion Array: 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8. Race: The Races of War Race::Aasimar. Starting Racial Traits: * Medium Size * 30' movement. * Outsider Type (Native and Human subtype) * Darkvision 60' * +2 Charisma, +2 Wisdom * Aasimar with a Charisma of at least 10 may cast light as a spell-like ability with a caster level equal to their character level once per day. * +2 bonus to Spot, and Listen checks. * Favored Classes: Paladin and Sorcerer * Automatic Languages: Common * Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Aquan, Auran, Celestial, Formian, Ignan, Slaad, Sylvan, Terran. Final Class Progression::Paladin 6/Celestial Beacon 10 Other Components To squeeze out an extra point, the Paladin build is made middle-age, which gets an extra point to mental stats, bumping him from 37 to 38 Wisdom. Lucian, the Paladin/Celestial Beacon, has a Wisdom modifier of +14, giving him 4 extra level 1 and 2 spells, and 3 extra level 3 and 4 spells. Also, it gives his DCs quite a lot of punch. The Monk gets his Wisdom modifier to about half his character sheet. His monk levels let him use his Wisdom in place of Dexterity for Dodge bonuses and Reflex saves. The DCs on his fighting styles are likewise buffed. Highlights This hinges almost entirely on 1) The +1 and +16 Abilities of Insightful Strike. The +1 ability lets you use Wisdom in place of Strength for melee attack rolls. The +16 gives your melee weapons (including natural weapons) an enhancement bonus equal to your Wisdom, so you get your Wisdom to your melee attack rolls, twice. Therefore, the objective for this concept is to push Wisdom as high as it can go. Start with an 18. +2 Racial, +4 Ability Point increases (at level 4, 8, 12, and 6), + 5 (Wishes or Tome) + 2 (Celestial Beacon 9 for the Paladin) + 1 or +3 Aging Bonus (for Lucian and Po respectively) + 6 (Wisdom-boosting item). That comes out a 38 Wisdom bonus, which is a +14 modifier. Lucian's spells are pushed up through the roof, and Celestial Beacon 9 gives him +2 to Strength, Wisdom, and Charisma. Po, as said elsewhere, gets his Wisdom modifier to his attack rolls, Dodge Bonus, Reflex Save, and the enhancement bonus to his slam attack. Also, assuming he makes it to level 14 before he reaches Middle Age, he can then advance to Old Age with no physical penalties. Munchkin-Size Me If one wanted to be really cheesy, one could get into Celestial Beacon after 7 levels of Cleric. Celestial Beacon gives full casting of a divine class, so you would be gaining full BAB for ten levels, interesting and useful class features, AND full cleric casting which would be empowered by a +14 Wisdom Modifier. AND you could cast Divine Power on your self to give yourself Full BAB (which would qualify you for the higher benefits of the feat, while it lasts) and gives +6 to Strength, squeezing out a bit more melee damage. Insightful Strike also augments critical properties of your melee attacks. A longsword would be 18-20/x3, and axes would have 19-20/x5. The +16 Ability of Insightful Strike gives your melee weapons an enhancement bonus equal to you Wisdom modifier, so you're getting your Wisdom to damage as well as attack. By getting a few sources of extra damage, you could make monstrous criticals. Also, your absurd attack rolls mean you can afford to do massive power attacks. Other feats are helpful to this concept. Blitz gives you some serious bonus damage at the cost of provoking AoOs and losing the Dexterity bonus. Combat School gives some extra attack and damage bonuses, as well as letting you take 10 on Attack rolls, meaning as long as your attack bonus is well enough over the enemies' AC, you could Power Attack for big chunks of damage. Subtle Cut could have your impressive damage be translated into debuffs for the enemies. Oh, and it gives an extra point of damage. Two-Weapon Fighting could allow you to rack up a massive Shield bonus to your AC, thanks to its high-level abilities. For the monk, that means he gets his Wisdom bonus + 2 (for this purpose, comes out to +16) as a shield bonus to AC. For the record, that means he get his Wisdom to his attack rolls twice, his damage rolls once, as his Dodge and Reflex stat, and as part of a shield bonus to his AC. Say it with me now: DAMN. Side Notes This is very rough, but it's just a concept illustrating the limits to which Tome material could be taken--specifically, building up attack rolls and damage to as high as they can go. Limitations The fact is, this is a melee build focusing on a non-melee ability at the expense of ability scores which are more conventional. Maxing Wisdom means you aren't putting anything into Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution. The Monk doesn't suffer as much, because he can rely on the effects of his fighting styles to lock down opponents each time he hits them. The Paladin, though, is going to have it tough. DM Counters Heavy Fortification or critical immunity would help. So would hitting them with Wisdom ability damage, whether it's from poison or something else. ---- Tome Category:3.5e Category:User Category:Optimized Character Build Category:Third Party Rules